


What's In A Name?

by DustinMcDreamy



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Asexual Character, Asexual Raphael Santiago, Asking Out, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 16:26:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14622561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DustinMcDreamy/pseuds/DustinMcDreamy
Summary: Coffee Shop AU: Simon is a barista with a crush on the handsome regular. He thinks they might have a connection, but his crush refuses to reveal his name.





	What's In A Name?

     Simon's breath hitched when he saw his favorite regular, a handsome and suave stranger who was always immaculately dressed, come into the coffee shop he worked at. He was always exhibiting an aura of mysteriousness. He never gave Simon his name during his order, and he would always look so focused and dedicated at his computer. He typed steadily, never too fast, but it appeared his mind rarely paused. It intrigued Simon greatly. He was positive the man was a writer, but unsure if he was writing a novel or maybe even a play. The man definitely came across as the literary type.

     The man approached the counter and Simon greeted him with a smile, and the handsome stranger smiled back. "Hello, Simon," the man said. His voice was deep and silky, like honey.

     "Hello, sir," Simon replied. "Are you getting the 'Muddy Study' again today?"

     "You know me so well, Simon," the man said with a smile. Simon was no expert, but he'd consider that to be flirting.

     "Not well enough," SImon replied. "Will you please give me a name for this order?"

     The man just smiled and slowly shook his head. It was playful, teasing. He never came across rude to Simon.

     Simon just rolled his eyes and rang up the transaction. He always paid in cash. Simon would have snuck a peak off of a debit card by now if he had the opportunity. His role was supposed to be the cashier today while his coworkers made the drinks, but he took the order himself.

     "Let me make this one, Izzy," Simon requested. Izzy nodded, fully understanding, and covered the register for him.

     Their 'Muddy Study' drink was a cold brew coffee made with vanilla milk, rich chocolate cream, extra chocolate and caramel flavoring, a scoop of ground oreos, and most importantly-extra espresso, to keep college students awake to study all night long. The gentleman ordered it every single time.

     "One 'Muddy Study' for the difficult, mysterious man in fancy clothing!" SImon announced. He saw the guy chuckling to himself as he embarrassingly got up and awkwardly approached the counter, having been called out in front of the three other patrons that were relaxing in the atmosphere.

     "You think my clothes are fancy?" he asked.

     "You're certainly overdressed for coffee," Simon replied.

     "You'll never know who you need to leave a good impression on," the gentleman said with a wink. 

     Simon froze a little as the man walked away from the counter. Simon looked over at Izzy who was giving him a proud look.

     "Look at you!" she exclaimed. "He likes you."

     "He won't tell me his name," Simon replied. "He can't like me that much."

     "You have to play hardball. Let him know you're seriously interested, and that you want to see this flirting continue into something more," she explained.

     "I don't know, Izzy. I think I'm reading this wrong," Simon replied.

     "No, you're not," Izzy argued. "Look, he always stays until close. Why not talk to him then?"

     "Alright," Simon said. "I've got a few hours to work up the courage."

     "Just don't drink the coffee," she ordered. "You don't want to caffeinate the anxiety."

     "Right," Simon agreed. "Good idea."

     The afternoon went by quickly. The sun set down on the other side of the glass windows. It was almost closing time, and the stranger was the last patron in the shop. Simon approached his crush, who was sitting at a table, typing away at the keyboard. He eyed Simon as he approached, and smiled at the barista.

     "Are you here to warn me about closing time?" he asked.

     "Yes, sir," Simon replied.

     "I'm just finishing up typing this paragraph," the man replied. "Or maybe I just wanted to wait so you'd have to talk to me again."

     Simon looked at him with a confused expression. "Why do you flirt with me if you won't let me know anything about you? Have I been reading this wrong?"

     The man's confidence melted away, and he looked caught off guard. "I write all day long without falter, yet suddenly, I am at a loss for words," he said softly.

     "So I have been out of line. I'm sorry. I'll leave you alone," Simon replied, turning away from the man.

     "No, Simon, please stay with me. Let me try to explain," the man pleaded. Simon paused and turned back around for the gentleman. "Did you ever read _Romeo and Juliet_?"

     "Yes," Simon replied.

     "The scene on the balcony where Juliet is asking 'Wherefore art thou Romeo', she's actually asking 'Why is he Romeo from the Montague Household?' Things change when you learn someone's name. You learn other things about them," he explained.

     "Are you a famous rich guy or some kind of wanted serial killer?" Simon asked.

     The gentleman laughed. "No, but I am asexual, and it has been difficult in dating. I was afraid that if I pursued something, if you found out and didn't like it, it would have all been for nothing."

     There was so much vulnerability in his voice that it made Simon's heart ache. "I'm sorry your past experiences haven't gone well.That's hard to hear, but I don't care if you're asexual. I think that you're interesting and cool, and I like how you're always so focused on your writing. I'd really like to know you more."

     The guy smiled at Simon. "My name is Raphael," he said. He reached over to a spare coffee collar on his table and wrote on it. "And this is my phone number," he said with a smile.

     Simon smiled back and slid the cardboard collar into his pocket. "So," Simon said. "Can you tell me what your story is about?"

     Raphael grinned at the question, his beautiful, pearly white teeth illuminated the room. "It's about a boy who is scared to ask out his crush, who he feels is super out of his league and is too confidently flirty to accept him."

     Simon's face flushed with an intense red. "Are you for real?"

     Raphael nodded. "I thought if I could write a romantic story about us getting together, then it might happen in real life."

     "That's incredibly cute, but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around  _you_ thinking  _I_ am out of  _your_ league," Simon replied.

     "Why is that?" Raphael asked. "You're very attractive, you seem incredibly confident. You look like you could be a sexual pro," Raphael replied.

     Izzy started laughing uncontrollably behind the counter, dropping something metal in the process. The loud bang did not interrupt her severe giggling.

     "Thank you," Simon announced loudly with a stern, flat annunciation. 

     Raphael bit his lip when he smiled at Simon. "Well, I think you're gorgeous."

     "I think I'm the lucky one here," Simon replied. 

     Raphael leaned into Simon and their lips met. It was sweet, tender, and tastier than any drink or pastry that was sold in that shop. They broke apart and Simon was blushing a bright pink.

     "That was awesome," Simon said. "Well awesome sounds kind of dorky fr a kiss, it was good. But like, better than good. It was great. That's cheesy too."

     "Simon!" Raphael and Izzy both exclaimed. Simon looked over at Izzy rolling her eyes.

     "I thought it was pretty awesome too," Raphael said.

     Simon smiled at him, the two of them sharing a look together before it was interrupted by Izzy banging on metal. "Ok this is cool, but Simon's really gotta help me close. I wanna go home!" she exclaimed.

     "I'll text you later?" Simon asked.

     "I'll hold you to that," Raphael said before kissing Simon on the cheek, grabbing his computer bag and heading out the door.     


End file.
